Those Who Survive Together, Thrive Together
by Logan GC
Summary: Days after surviving Raccoon City, Leon and Claire have trouble sleeping due to experiencing such nightmarish events. One night in particular, they seek solace in each other... and the beginning of something new for them both.


**Author's Notes:** I do not own anything related to **Resident Evil**. All characters and respective media belong to **Capcom**. Story takes place shortly after the 2019 _Resident Evil 2_ video game. Happy Valentine's Day.

Leon didn't know what Heaven felt like until he rested on a worn out mattress. For anyone else, one bed doesn't seem all that rewarding especially one that looks used with the bed springs making his back feel uncomfortable. For the police rookie turned survivor from the undead hordes in Raccoon City, he couldn't care less.

A whole night of just surviving against the undead, mutant abominations, and one persistent ASSHOLE wearing a fedora was like a nightmare he almost didn't wake up from. Too many close calls, so many times an undead walker shambled close to take a chomp out of his neck or a Licker missing Leon's head with it's tongue by centimeters. It's been a while since Leon went to church, so he wasn't so sure if it was God who saved his ass or if it was dumb, instinctual luck. And on his first day on the job too...

Leon almost chuckled at the thought. The blonde inwardly claiming the title as the guy who had the worst first day on the job ever. It really was so surreal when the young man thought about it. A few weeks ago, he was so eager to protect and serve as a civil servant having just graduated from the academy. He was so optimistic those past few weeks...

The former rookie sighed as he turned on his side, making it the twentieth time he tried falling asleep but to no avail. Every time he tried going asleep, he would hear the groaning of a walking corpse, he would hear the hissing of a Licker, and he would hear the growls of a viral infected dog. Now that the nightmare is over for now, Leon gave thought of those who succumbed to Umbrella's viruses. Over a week ago, the undead were people. People with jobs, families, and dreams. They're all gone now. The rookie didn't have the time to hesitate about shooting what could have been civilians he should have protected or coworkers he could have had a laugh with by the coffee machine. Lieutenant Branagh did the same thing... and it killed him in the end.

Although Leon followed what Marvin told him and survived alongside Claire and Sherry, it still didn't sit right in his stomach. Those infected were people once, and they were all victims of Umbrella's products.

The scene of the gun shop owner and his infected daughter came to mind, with the broken father demanding to Leon how this all happened. Branagh may have told Leon that he was lucky to stay away but Leon really wished he came to Raccoon City sooner.

His thoughts were interrupted as the blonde moved in another position to get some rest, pulling a thin blue sheet over his body. Ever since escaping the doomed city, Claire led both him and Sherry to a sorority house she bunks in for school. Luckily, the Redfield sister informed the two of them that the sorority members all went on a trip out of state with a neighboring fraternity. In a way Leon was grateful, he wanted as much peace and quiet as he could get. And a chance to shower without having to deal with a possible voyeur given that this is a sorority house. Still, one woman still lingered in his mind despite knowing that he should try to forget about.

Ada.

The one time cop sighed as he remembered the enigmatic mercenary. She had him wrapped around her finger. And like a gullible rookie he is, believed in everything she said that she was FBI. Despite the fact that she lied to him, despite the fact that she intended to sell the G Virus to an outside buyer, despite the fact that she pulled a gun on him even when he took a bullet for her... she still lingered in his mind. Leon couldn't describe it. Was it love? Lust?

One thing was for sure Ada definitely was one those femme fatale types. Mysterious, dangerous, manipulative... complicated. _I guess that would be the appropriate word to describe Ada in a nutshell; complicated_. Leon inwardly thought to himself, now turning face front as he stared at the ceiling above him. Even if Ada somehow survived a fall that deep, the young man doubted anything concrete would happen between them if they met again. Ada seemed the type to do what she pleased, and didn't seem to care about selling a dangerous virus if it meant she got paid.

Then there is Claire, who is a complete inverse to Ada. Kind, caring, wanting to protect others she cared for. Leon remembered why Claire went by herself to Raccoon, to find her brother. And the way Sherry looks at Claire... like the big sister she never had.

Well her brother taught Claire well with firearms, tough enough to not just survive against monsters but to keep Sherry safe. Leon couldn't believe what Claire told him about police chief Irons. It was funny, Irons didn't become an undead monster but he was worse than all of them. Maybe Ben had the right idea about the chief after all...

It's no wonder Sherry looks at Claire with such adoration. Those two went through a lot together when both Leon and Claire got separated. For a child to be in that hell alone, he was glad Claire was there to save the little girl from her mutant abomination of a father while her mom didn't seem to care. Come to think of it, despite having just met, Leon really liked Claire. She was strong, caring, never gave up both on finding her brother and protecting Sherry. Claire even gave him and the young girl housing for the moment.

Leon thought about Sherry's innocent question about him and Claire together. He remembered laughing it off as child naivety given that they just met. But still... maybe the young girl was on to something. Hell Claire seemed fine with the notion, joking about how their survival of Raccoon City would have been one memorable first date.

The thought of that made Leon wonder. What would be a first date with Claire be like exactly? Would they have anything in common besides surviving a hellish landscape? Maybe he shouldn't let his mind wander too much, lest it goes into unsafe territory. Leon sighed and closed his eyes, attempting another try to get some sleep... until two quiet knocks impacted the wood of the bedroom door.

Leon blinked as he sat up straight on the bed, looking at the clock on a nearby nightstand. It is three thirty in the morning. Was it Sherry? "Yes?" Leon asked, wondering who was up this late.

The door opened and his answer is in the form of Claire Redfield, having a tired but friendly smile on her face. The college student is wearing a T-shirt that seemed a little too big for her, maybe it was her bother's, with black shorts. "Hey Leon. I didn't wake you, did I?" She asked quietly.

Leon hoped he wasn't in la-la land too long before shaking his head. "No... it's fine Claire." He responded, taking note that he was wearing an undershirt to cover his bandages and pajama pants. Returning his focus back on the Redfield sister, he gave a comforting grin. "Trouble sleeping?" The blonde guessed.

Without a word, Claire nodded. "Yeah." She spoke after a moment's hesitation but remained quiet. She looked nervous for some reason and fidgeted in place. Leon was going to ask what's wrong before she spoke up. "Can I..." Claire paused, wincing at the sound of her own voice before continuing. "Can I talk to you?" She finished with a lower tone to not wake up Sherry.

Leon looked at Claire for a moment, and for a brief moment swore that Claire's cheeks slightly redden from the nightlight. He ignored such thoughts and focused on helping his new found friend. "Y-Yeah of course." The former rookie cop replied. "Please, tell me what's wrong." He added, sitting straight up and giving the Redfield his entire attention.

Claire's smile remained, closing the door behind her before placing herself next to Leon on the bed. Being this close, Leon didn't notice the minor details on Claire's person. Like the little dimples that appear when she grins or the fact that her hair smelled like strawberries. The Redfield's smile lessens as she stared at the blonde, stress lines forming on her forehead. "I... I've been having nightmares. About the city."

Leon frowned but nodded at her words. He's in the same boat, not being able to sleep especially from the nightmare they experienced a few days ago. "What about it? Is it the monsters?"

Redfield nodded. "Yeah. I keep on thinking about one in particular." She explains before matching Leon's frown with her own. "I keep thinking about Sherry's father, William." The brunette reveals as Leon's brow furrows in confusion.

"Why William in particular?" The blonde asked, hoping he wasn't being too demanding.

Claire sighed quietly. "Did I ever tell you what William did to Sherry?" She asked, her voice quiet as all pretenses of her earlier cheer are gone.

Leon almost gaped in shock. "What has he done? Is Sherry okay?" The rookie cop asked as his eyes frantically turned to the door.

Claire placed a calming hand on Leon before he had the chance to bolt out the door and check on the young girl. "She's fine now, Leon. I promise." The college student reassured the former officer, her eyes containing nothing but honesty. Once the blonde calmed his nerves, Claire began to explain. "When William infected himself with the G Virus, it gave William the desire to procreate with those who had similar DNA. He infected Sherry with the virus but luckily there was a cure." The brunette explained with Leon staring back in shock.

"He wanted to mate with his own daughter?!" Leon asked taken aback by this news, his voice a mixture of revulsion and horror. Claire nodded, causing Leon to shake his head in disbelief. "That's so fucked up."

"Yeah." Claire agreed before continuing. "Anyway, I kept dreaming about William... and how I was too late to save Sherry." The youngest of the Redfields explains before her voice starts to crack. "If I didn't get the cure in time, she would have been-" Claire paused, no doubt imagining the horrible transformation the G Virus would do to Sherry. Leon could hear her voice crack as she tried to continue her sentence. "She would have been-"

Claire was cut off when Leon embraced her in a light hug, the blonde young man pulling the college student close to him and to alleviate her fears. "Hey, it's okay Claire. You said it yourself, Sherry's fine. You saved her. William won't hurt her ever again." The former officer consoled softly that sounded barely above a whisper.

It seemed to work, Claire giving in and returning his hug with one of her own. "Yeah, you're right." She replied quietly, mumbling on his shoulder before looking at Leon with a small smile. "We did good."

The cop turned survivor grinned back. "You did good, Claire. I just showed up at the end. You took better care of that girl than her mother did. It shows the kind of person you are." Leon finished, the smile never leaving his face.

"Thanks." Claire replied, her cheeks turning into a lovely shade of pink but maintained her smaller smile. The two shared a moment of silence before Leon spoke up again.

"You know speaking of Sherry, I kept thinking about what she said. Of us." The former cop mentioned, unknowingly getting Claire's full attention. When he noticed she was staring at him, Leon suddenly felt nervous. "I mean... you know how kids like her are. The whole boyfriend-girlfriend thing needs a place to start with. Kids need to learn about the steps of dating." He babbled and with Claire's stare not dissipating, Leon felt a sweat bead form on his brow. _Oh crap, I put my foot in my mouth didn't I?_

Leon noticed Claire moving in closer and the young man froze, their proximity to each other just a centimeter apart. The young man felt his voice lodged in his throat, unable to speak properly. "Claire...?" He asked in such a low tone, it was barely a whisper. "What are you doing?" He asked again, the room suddenly feeling a lot hotter than it was five minutes ago.

Claire froze, her cheeks going red as she refused to look away. "I...I want to try." She started before maintaining control of her words. "Dating I mean. I want to try dating with you." The college student clarified, her voice just as low and quiet as his. "Do you... want to?" She asked, biting her lip as she glanced at Leon nervously.

It was such a surreal site. Here were two survivors who faced down legions of the undead and monstrous abominations and yet, the idea of a relationship made them both feel like teens who had a crush in high school. Leon swallowed, glancing at Claire's rosy lips and red tinted cheeks and feeling heat creeping up his neck. Leon stuttered and stumbled, unsure of how to react or respond. Clearly he hesitated too long as Claire's face began to sag in what she thought was rejection. _Say something you idiot_.

"Yes!" Leon shouted out, surprising Claire and himself for how loud his outburst was. After a moment's realization, Leon felt heat flush his face for his sudden exclaim. "I mean... yes, I want to. God I want to." He added quietly, internally trying to keep his racing heart under control. "It's just, I haven't had good luck on that part." The blonde confessed quietly. Before Raccoon City, his previous girlfriend dumped him and clearly Ada stringed him along throughout the horror show. In truth, Leon felt afraid this relationship might not end well either.

Claire didn't seem to be concerned, leaning in closely. "Let's just give it a chance first." She offered, closing her eyes as she placed one hand on Leon's chest. This was it, no going back. Considering that the hellish nightmare is over for now, at least there is something to look forward to. Leon drew in and took Claire on her offer.

As their lips clashed, Leon felt an electric current running all around his body. This kiss already felt different than Ada. When she kissed him, it was sensual, controlling, desiring to calm his nerves when they were about to enter the NEST.

Claire is different. Her lips were soft, warm, and so addictively sweet. With Claire, there was something more personal, more _real_, as he felt himself lowering back on the bed with the brunette move on top of him. Her lips felt sweeter than cherries, sweeter than any gourmet dessert he ever tasted. Leon wanted more, inviting a warm and pleasant tongue into his mouth with more than ready to react in kind. Claire thought the same thing, cupping his cheeks with both her hands as she desired every surface area on Leon's lips. The blond young man felt his mind drawing blanks, lost in a field of emotion and desire. Only muffled groans and moaning were heard as the two were lost in passion. There could be another viral outbreak right now and Leon wouldn't care. Right now, he wouldn't want to be anywhere else than to be with Claire. And based on how she was trying to devour his lips, Claire had a similar idea. Leon unconsciously pulled Claire close to him, as though wanting the both of them to fuse into some smooching, love machine. Who knows, maybe Umbrella had a virus for that too...

The impromptu kiss ended with a pop, both Leon and Claire panting for air. Leon felt like his face was on fire, exhaling to regain his senses. Claire seems to be the same, her face as red as a tomato. The two continued this in silence until the blonde spoke the appropriate word that summed up the entire situation. "Wow." He stated, with a goofy, dumb smile starting to stretch across his features.

Claire laughed quietly, no doubt agreeing with Leon's sentiment. "Yeah, wow." She added, before falling down next to Leon. The two survivors stared into each other's eyes, feeling the other's hand on each of their respective cheeks. "So... I guess we're... together?" She asked, as the little uncertainty in her voice caused Leon to chuckle.

"Yeah, together." He agreed before leaning forward and placed a peck on Claire's lips. "So, how far do you want to go?" He asked seriously, his question causing the youngest Redfield to blush heavily.

"Well, tonight not too far." Claire replied before smiling lovingly at Leon. "Kissing will be just fine."

Leon returned her smile with one of his own. "Well then, who am I to protest that?" He replied before leaning forward and kissed her once more. The young man inwardly smiles as he feels Claire giggling into his mouth, their tongues interlocking with one another. It might have been minutes, it might have been hours. Leon didn't care because as of right now he has a wonderful girl in his life. For the first time in a while, the horrid nightmare of Raccoon City and memories of Ada slipped Leon's mind. Currently, his mind is on the present. And the present is with Claire.

Forget the bed. Kissing Claire Redfield... now _that_ is Heaven.

* * *

Leon groaned as he heard what seemed to be quiet giggling, waking him up from his peaceful slumber. God, it felt good to actually get some rest. Blinking slowly, the former rookie cop looked to his side to find a sleeping Claire Redfield, one arm stretched out over his stomach to keep him close. Remembering last night, both him and Claire agreed to take things slow. The two didn't go _too_ far, they didn't even take off their clothes. It was just touching and kissing.

A LOT of touching and kissing.

His thoughts were disrupted once again when he traced the source of the giggling and found a one Sherry Birkin by the door frame, looking at the two with a smile that lit up her eyes. "So... are you _sure_ you two aren't boyfriend and girlfriend?" She asked sarcastically.

After hearing the young girl's obvious question, Leon laughed quietly and lowered himself back on the mattress, gently pulling Claire into his arms.

Welp, they are now.


End file.
